New Busan Cinema Center - What Impact on the Economy of Nampo Dong?

The 2011 Busan International Film Festival also differs from the 2010 version of the festival in that this year, all film screenings are held in the Haeundae gu area of Busan.  Last year, many films were screened in Nampo dong in addition to Haeundae gu.

Haeundae gu (해운대구) is a neighbourhood located in the south-eastern part of Busan.  It is an area that is popular with tourists, because a large beach is located there.  It also appears to be one of the most modernized neighbourhoods of the city.  Nampo dong (남포동), on the other hand, is located in south-central Busan, and is one of the oldest areas of the city.  Nampo dong's most interesting feature is perhaps the Jagalchi market (자갈치 시장), a fresh seafood market located right on the Pacific coast.

There are three large cinemas in Nampo dong, the Cinus cinema, the Daeyoung cinema, and the CGV Nampo cinema.  Many films were screened at these venues during the 2010 PIFF.  This seems to have been the case during many of the previous PIFF's as well, as the area near these cinemas is known as "PIFF plaza".  The plaza is decorated with cinema-themed sculptures, and populated with street food vendors working behind food carts and under parasols bearing the acronym "PIFF".

PIFF plaza in Nampo dong.

PIFF parasols over street food carts, by PIFF plaza.

It seems that the PIFF has been an important yearly economic activity in Nampo dong for a number of years.  But, with the construction of the Busan Cinema Center, BIFF film screenings have been held exclusively in Haeundae gu this year, and may be held exclusively in Haeundae gu during future installments of the BIFF.  I therefore wonder if the construction of the Busan Cinema Center will have a long-term negative impact on the economy of Nampo dong.

제16회 부산국제영화제

It's the beginning of autumn in Busan again.  Therefore, the 2011 version of the Busan International Film Festival (부산국제영화제) is now in full swing!  And it's a pretty special year for the festival.

Official banner of the 16th Busan International Film Festival.

First of all, this is the first year that the festival is referred to using the acronym BIFF.  That's right, the festival's acronym has been changed to reflect the evolving consensus on the english pronunciation of the name of the city in which it is annually held.  In the english-speaking world, the Korean city of 부산 has been known for a long time as Pusan.  But over the last decade, it has been referred to more and more as Busan.  And so, the PIFF has become the BIFF.

But most importantly, this is the first year that the festival is held in the Busan Cinema Center (부산영화의전당), a special venue constructed especially to host the BIFF.  The Center is an IMPRESSIVE work of architecture, and that the city of Busan has invested in its construction attests to the importance of the BIFF in this city.  Located in Haeundae gu (해운대구), it is nestled in one of the most modernized areas of Busan.  It neighbours the Busan branch of Shinsegae (신네계백화점), the world's largest department store.  All future installments of the BIFF are to be hosted at the Center.  In addition, the Cinemathèque Busan (시네마테크부산), a public film archive currently located a few kilometers away on the Pacific coast, will be relocated here.

The side entrance of the Busan Cinema Center.

At the entrance of the Busan Cinema Center, there is a large overhanging roof, the purpose of which appears to be to shelter film stars from the weather as they exit their cars to make their entrance at the BIFF.  Since the 2011 BIFF has begun, the Busan Cinema Center's roof has been alight in a dazzling display of colour.  What a sight it is!

The entrance of the Busan Cinema Center.

A night view of the Busan Cinema Center.

A night view of the Busan Cinema Center.